JBL Nova

The JBL Nova was a compact loudspeaker system from the late 1960s. JBL was pushing its enclosures as "positive decorative assets" as much as precision instruments. HiFI-Stereo (August 1968, p.13) described it as an "award-winning" shelf-size contemporary concept. JBL's own advertising in High Fidelity (October 1968, p.17) leaned hard into the "see-through generation" angle. It was a small box meant to disappear into a modern interior while delivering JBL's house sound.

The documented specs are modest and fit a compact bookshelf design. Frequency response is 40-20,000 Hz, crossover points are 1,500 Hz and 4,000 Hz, impedance is 8 ohms, and power capacity is 55 watts. It measured 20-3/16" × 10-3/16" × 9-1/8" and weighed 19 lbs. The crossover at 4,000 Hz suggests a two-way design with a tweeter handling the top octave, though the driver complement isn't formally documented in the surviving record.

Collectors add some hands-on knowledge. Owners report the Nova "sounds great for the size" and works well as a tabletop unit, and that recapping improves it further. There were reportedly two versions of the Nova, one with a horn and one without, which explains some of the confusion around tweeter behavior. One owner found the high frequencies a bit dull and used a +2 to +4 dB boost at 10 kHz on their equalizer. The usual vintage-speaker ailments apply. Foam grilles deteriorate, and the woofer surrounds dry out and crumble with age. A refoam kit (part number 1185085 from Simply Speakers) is a known fix.

Production years and original pricing aren't documented in the available record. The Nova was a recognized JBL model of the late 1960s, and it earned design praise in its day.

Frequency response: 40–20,000 Hz
Crossover frequencies: 1,500 Hz; 4,000 Hz
Impedance: 8 ohms
Power capacity: 55 watts
Dimensions (H × W × D): 20-3/16" × 10-3/16" × 9-1/8"
Weight: 19 lbs.